Vivid
by Salmiakkikarkki
Summary: Loud music and a Pelican with three soldiers and one human formed AI, gave John a growing suspicion that sometimes Cortana liked for him to end up in awkward situations. Drabble. Slight AU fic. MCxC, but can be read as friendly teasing too.


A re-uploading of an old story. Fic changed to match site's guide-lines. Copyright: Halo belongs to Bungie and 343i industries.

A short and somewhat old drabble, which is getting more AU by the minute. English is not my first language so I apologize for possible grammatical errors.

* * *

Cortana had always been… the more… vivid – that was the word – one of them, John thought.

From their first test together John had come to realize that the smart AI he had been paired up with wasn't the most quietest or patient type of person. And that was just lightly put.

Even if at start John had found Cortana's ever flowing energy somewhat hard to accustom to, but the more he had gotten to know her, the more he had been able to see Cortana as a "whole". He had also learnt different types of Cortana's vividness.

The joy and joking when Cortana was just trying to fight with boredom. That glorious smile when she had achieved to hack UNSC's systems and got to tell him that they were still assigned to work together on Cairo Platform. The seemingly never ending and meaningless (not to mention often one-sided) conversation she kept up when she was nervous.

All those were just different aspects of Cortana.

And John had grown to like Cortana, meaning he had learnt to like Cortana's vividness – well at least most of the time.

Now, when the extremely small feeling Pelican was being taken over by the music from the loudspeakers, however had become one of those questionable moments when John had to briefly wonder _if_ he was completely accustomed to Cortana's one of a kind personality, and _how _he had ever survived through all his missions with her…

Quick glance at Lasky and Palmer seemed to confirm his own suspicions.

Palmer was throwing somewhat annoyed looks between Cortana and Lasky. Seemingly wanting nothing more than Lasky to intervene and/or arrive back at Infinity.

Lasky on the other hand appeared his normal, calm self, although sharp observer (which John by his Spartan abilities most definitely was) could see the slightest awkwardness. Lasky guided hand through his hair and took a questioning glance at Cortana's direction. After some moments the small tightness around his mouth was released when he broke the ongoing "silence" and turned his gaze to Chief.

"Is she normally like this?"

"Yes sir."

Lasky nodded still slightly puzzled, but returned slowly his full attention back to guiding the Pelican.

John however continued watching Cortana's "dancing". Feeling himself slightly out of place as well. He was pretty sure that Cortana wasn't always yet crasping the idea of being a living, breathing person, whose actions were for all to see and hear. And in moments like this she really did seem to be on her completely own world.

Cortana's mouth was moving in sync with the lyrics. And even though she had whole time kept taking glances at John and smirking (in not so subtle way), it was the wink that made John really wish that the pelican ride would be shorter, or that at least they would be alone. Being a genetically altered super-soldier who had achieved almost everything and having to witness your former AI – now in a human form – dancing – almost during mission – listening to a song – with lyrics closer to a something an ODST would be listening – (not forgetting the wink) in front of Captain and Lieutenant, were two things that weren't easiest to match. Hardly so. 

After the song had ended, and the pelican had (mercifully) arrived back to the Infinity. Cortana mentioned something about ship's navigation system malfunctioning and left humming towards the bridge. Leaving three very silent soldiers behind.

Palmer was the first to open her mouth, "Sir, if I may speak freely, what even was that?"

Before Lasky had a chance to answer, John gave Palmer a quick reply.

"Living. Ma'am."

With a quick salute John left to his quarters, not seeing the ever more questioning look Palmer gave to Lasky or Lasky's slight nod and shoulder shrug.

As he was walking John couldn't help, but wonder that if Cortana considered absorbing John's luck as the reason she had made through everything, so then maybe he as well had absorbed some of Cortana's vividness into himself.

Or then he was going crazy, which was a very, very possible reasoning as well.

But then she most definitely was as well.

And luckily they both liked crazy.


End file.
